William "Billy Bob" Lusk, owner of Seneca Marine in Watkins Glen, has been telling me how hot the Seneca Lake fishing scene has been lately. To prove his point, he sent me three eye-opening photos of fish caught recently on that lake, along with another of one of his customers who cashed in on Cayuga Lake.

Darn, at least someone is out there catching nice fish lately.

The first photo is of Joe Bird, of Dundee, with a nice, 7-pound landlocked salmon he caught on a fly rod while fishing streamers along the west shore above the salt plant on the southwestern side of Seneca Lake. Good fish, Joe! Imagine that fish on a fly rod!

Submitted photoJoe Mikida with his "hat trick."

Photo two is of Joe Mikida, of Watkins Glen, who according to Lusk pulled off a "hat trick" while fishing at Taughannock on Cayuga Lake. Mikida was floating bass shiners about seven feet under a slip bobber . His catch included a 7 1/2 pound rainbow, a 5.9 pound salmon and a 5 1/2 pound brown trout.

Submitted photoZachary Fruend with his pike.

Photo three shows Zachary Fruend, of Alpine, (blond with the cast) and his good friend, Cody Bowen, also of Alpine. On the last day of the pike season, Zachary landed this 32-inch northern pike off the Watkins Glen pier while casting a Fire Tiger-colored, Little Cleo. "Team work really paid off for these two as Zach caught the fish, but Cody coached him on working the lure," Lusk said.

Submitted photoAn unidentified angler with his nice perch.

Photo four is of an unidentified gentleman who Lusk said often successfully fishes the pier at Watkins Glen while others are baffled. Lusk said he snapped the picture but the guy left his shop before he could get his name.

"He now has this whoppin' fat 15-inch perch with many others, along with a decent pike to show he can forage for himself for the supper table. Great job!" Lusk said.